10 Ways to Fight the Holiday Blues:

Many people try to do too much for the holidays, and without enough time to do everything planned.

– There’s too much gift shopping to do without enough money.

– There are too many parties and events to attend without enough down time between them.

– There’s too much eating and drinking without enough will power.

– For others, however, there’s not enough friendship, activity or fun.

Take control of your situation, instead of letting your situation take control of you. Cut back on those lists by picking and choosing more carefully, and your decisions will likely serve you very well.

2. Be Good to Yourself

No matter what your situation is, think about what would make you feel better, and plan on how to do that, no matter what else is on your list. It could be contacting and spending time with a friend (or two) that you haven’t seen for a while, shopping for something for yourself, helping someone else, visiting a house of worship – for quiet time or to meet others, and many other things that you would find personally satisfying.

3. Give Back by Helping Others

Helping others is often a great way to get away from thinking about yourself, especially if you have a tendency to sadness at the holiday season. Not only will helping a person in need make you feel better, but it will also be uplifting for the person, or persons, you help. That will also make the holidays more meaningful for all involved.

4. Take Care of Yourself

Focus time on eating healthy, staying fit, and getting enough sleep. Staying physically active will help lift your spirits, as well as limiting the amount of junk food, sugary foods, and alcohol you eat and drink. Remember especially that alcohol is a depressant. Speaking of drinking, it’s always good to drink a lot of water every day.

5. Spend Carefully

While using credit cards and debit cards during the holiday season seems easy for many, the overspending can quickly cause stress and unhappiness, and for many months afterwards, as one struggles to pay those bills. That’s why it’s important to avoid too much gift giving, and focus instead on creative ways to give, such as by spending quality time with one or more others, doing things you don’t usually do.

The next post will include five more tips to help fight the holiday blues, and visit the Health Power website for more health information.

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